Compressor control device



April 19, 1932. H BE K 1,854,729

CDMPRESSOR CONTROL DEVICE Filed Oct. 18, 1928 INVENTOR CARL H. BECK B W/IW% ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 19, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARL H. BECK, OF MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTINGHOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF WILMERDING, PENNSYLVANIA, A. CORPORATION OF PENN-T.

SYLVANIA COMPRESSOR CONTROL DEVICE Application filed October 18, 1928. Serial No. 313,219.

This invention relates to fluid compress ing apparatus, such as employed on railway trains and traction cars.

On vehicles equipped with a fluid compressor, a governor device is provided which is adapted, upon a predetermined reduction in pressure in the main or storage reservoir, to effect the starting of the compressor. hen the compressor is thus started, it continues to operate until the main reservoir pressure has been increased to a predetermined maximum degree, at which time, the compressor governor operates to effect the stopping of the compressor.

It is often undesirable to have the compressor running while a vehicle is standing, since the running of the compressor is apt to'be noisy to such an extent as to be disagreeable and annoying, and the principal object of my invention is to provide automatic means for preventing the compressor from operating while a vehicle is standing, or unless the main reservoir pressure has been reduced to a very low degree. 7

In the accompanying drawing, the single figure is a diagrammatic view of a fluid compressing apparatus embodying my invention.

The apparatus shown in the drawing comprises an electric motor driven fluid compressor 1 adapted to compress fluid through a pipe 2 into a main or storage reservoir 3, a normal compressor governor device a, and an additional compressor governor device 5. Each governor device is shown diagrammatically as comprising a casing containing a piston 6, subject on one side to the pressure of fluid as supplied from the main reser voir 3 through pipe 7, and subject on the opposite side to the pressure of a spring'8. Each piston carries a stem 9 having secured thereto a contact member 10, adapted when the piston is in its inner position, to close: a circuit leading to the electric motor 11 which drives the compressor 1 and to open the circuit when the piston is. moved out.

Contact finger 12 of the governor device 4: and contact finger 15 of the governor device 5 are connected to wire 16 leading to the motor 11, contact finger 13 is connected to a wire 17 leading to a contact 18 adapted to" the coil of which is in circuit with the cone trol circuit wire 26.

YVhen the usual controller handle, indicated diagrammatically at 27, is in apower on position, as shown in full lines, the relay 25 is energized, and the movable contact member 19 is held in the position shown in the drawing, inwhich a circuit is established from wire 23 to wire 17 through engagement of contacts 24: and 18'with the contact member 19, while the contact 21 is out of engagemum and minimum pressure range as ordinarily employed.

If the vehicle isbrought to a stop, the controller handle is shifted toofl position, as shown in dotted lines, and the relay 25 is then deenergized, so that the contact member 19 is permitted to move downwardly so as to cause the contact 21 to engage the contact member 19 while the contact member 19 moves out of engagement with the contact 18'. A circuit is then established from wire 23 to wire 20 and the governor device 5 is thus connected up to control the supply. of current to the motor 11. The governor device '5 is adjusted so that the piston 6 will not move downwardly to close the motor cir 5 compressor .motor.

cuit until the pressure in the reservoir 3 has been reduced to a relatively low degree, which is considerably lower than the pressure at which the governor device 4 operates to cut in the compressor motor, but which is sufficient to insure ample main reservoir pressure for operating the brakes to hold the vehicle while standing.

As a result, the usual high pressure governor is cut out while the car is standing and the compressor consequently is not operated while the car is standing, unless the main reservoir pressure should fall to the low degree at which the low pressure governor-5 is adjusted to operate- 7 I On the other hand, as soon as the controller is moved to a power on position so as to start the vehicle, tlieirelay 25.is energized so as to effect the cutting in of the high pressure governor and the consequent operation of the compressor to build up the main reservoir pressure to the usual maximum pressure carried.

While one illustrative embodiment of the invention has been described in detail, it is not my intention to limit. its scope to that embodiment or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a vehicle carried electric motor driven fluid compressor and device for controlling the circuit through which said governors supply electric current to the compressor motor and operative 1n a power-on position of the controller element for preventing one governor from acting and operative in ofi position ofrthe controller element for preventingthe othergovernor from acting.

3.. The combination with an electric motor driven fluid compressor, of two compressor governors, each adapted to control the opening and closing ofthe compressor motor circuit, a power controller element, and electrically controlled means operative in a ,powenoinposition ofthe controller element for rendering one governor. ineffective to control the compressor motor and in the OE posigovernors, each adapted to control the open- 

